Development Services Review. Final Report. Zucker July 2016

18. Recommendation: Additional staff or consultants should be available as part of implementing TRAKiT.

Geographical Information System (GIS) In numerous studies that we have conducted, we have observed one of the greatest indicators of an organization’s overall effectiveness is the degree to which the Geographical Information System has been fully integrated into each Department’s operations. These progressive organizations have recognized the importance of using the GIS system to both record property related activities and as a tool to help guide future land development decisions. The GIS system currently in use in Morgan Hill has tremendous potential, however, it features are not being actively utilized by staff. The program is being supported primarily by an Associate Planner in the Planning Division, as time permits. This responsibility is in addition to the individual’s assignment as the primary coordinator for the implementation of the TRAKiT permit system and the expectation that the employee will also carry a caseload of planning applications. Through our interviews with Department staff and confirmation from Information Systems support staff, the GIS database has not been updated for nearly five years. This lack of attention to the critical maintenance of a system that will be integral to the effective implementation of the new TRAKiT permit system represents a significant problem. It is apparent to us that insufficient resources are being dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of this program. The Assistant City Manager for Community Development has indicated that the City is considering adding a position that would be dedicated to supporting the expanded use of the GIS system. We support the need for such a position. 19. Recommendation: The Assistant City Manager should pursue adding a GIS specialist position to maintain and enhance the use of the existing GIS. Electronic Plan Review A feature included with the new TRAKiT permit system will be software that can be used to facilitate the review of plans submitted electronically. This software (Blue Beam) will allow each group participating in the review process to markup and comment on their designated layer of the electronic plan. This should assist the designer by having all comments readily visible and coordinated among the Departments/Divisions that reviewed the plans. As the City moves in the direction of creating a “paperless” office, it is important to recognize that some computer hardware upgrades will be required to better handle the anticipated influx of digital documents and plans. Each Department should determine if existing equipment, such as computer monitors, are adequate to support digital plan review. Some of our clients use 40 inch screens, others a two screen set-up with at least one being 30 inches.

Morgan Hill, California

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Zucker Systems